More than 120 drivers dealt with as police operation tackles car cruising

An ongoing police operation cracking down on nuisance car cruisers has resulted in more than 120 drivers being dealt with in response to concerns raised by local residents and businesses.

Operation Triplefin was launched in October last year to prevent and reduce antisocial behaviour and criminal activity associated with the car cruises.

Hotspots for unlicensed gatherings, which have caused road safety, noise, and antisocial behaviour concerns, have included the Colwick Industrial Estate and near Victoria Retail Park in Netherfield.

Officers continue to tackle the issue by using a mixture of education and enforcement, using both marked and unmarked cars and body worn video cameras as part of their tactics to clamp down on individuals causing problems and to keep people safe.

Between October last year and May this year, Operation Triplefin’s results include:

• 42 warning letters being sent out
• 37 drivers being stopped and advised over their behaviour
• 34 warning notices being issued - giving police the power to seize vehicles if they are seen being driven or ridden in an antisocial manner again.
• 14 vehicle seizures
• 11 offenders being reported for traffic offences
• Two offenders being arrested and subsequently banned for drink/drug drive offences
• Two offenders being dealt with by means of out of court disposals for cannabis possession

Additionally, police continue to gather intelligence on vehicles congregating in areas, so they can respond quickly to take action, as well as quickly dispersing individuals causing issues.

Recent activity to combat car cruisers included on Wednesday last week (14 June 2023) when police seized two modified vehicles and issued four young drivers with warnings in relation to speeding along the Colwick Loop Road.

On Thursday (15 June 2023) a driver was reported for driving without due care and attention and had his vehicle seized. Three more vehicles were seized, and their drivers were warned about their behaviour.

Officers also located a small group of car cruisers in a well-known area, where driver activity has included racing and performing ‘donuts’. Checks were carried out on all vehicles.

A strong smell of cannabis was coming from one of the cars. It was stop searched and cannabis was found. The driver failed a drugs wipe so was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and possession of cannabis.

It comes after car cruisers were warned they could be prosecuted if they attend gatherings in the area after the installation of a new CCTV camera.

The high-tech camera, capable to 360-degree viewing, has been put up at the entrance to the retail park site, near the new Sainsburys, off Colwick Loop Road, following funding from the Safer Streets project.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire secured £3 million from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund and has been working with partners across the county to implement a range of schemes to tackle neighbourhood crime, antisocial behaviour and violence against women and girls.

A share of this money was specifically allocated for the Netherfield and Colwick area, with Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council working alongside the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to implement schemes which aim to make public spaces safer for all.

Four automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been placed along the loop road as an added measure to prevent and reduce antisocial behaviour.

In another move to tackle car cruisers near the retail park, Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council have been working together on plans to create a public spaces protection order (PSPO).

The order, which comes into force on Friday (23 June 2023), will prohibit car cruisers congregating in the area and gives police powers to issue fines.

Sergeant James Carrington, who has led on Operation Triplefin, said: “Our priority is keeping people safe and preventing and disrupting antisocial behaviour being caused at these car cruise events.

“We understand the detrimental impact this type of behaviour can have on local residents and businesses, and I’d like to reassure them we are working closely together with our partners to tackle the issue further and we will continue to take action against offenders to keep our roads and community safe."

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “The impact of antisocial behaviour on residents and businesses cannot be underestimated - and will not be accepted.

“This operation is a great example of police and partner agencies working together to stand up against those who cause safety concerns and intolerable noise nuisance for local people.

“It is great to see the Safer Streets funding for the CCTV camera and the automatic number plate recognition cameras are helping to support this concerted effort to crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour and make lives more pleasant for people in the area.”

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE, added: “These are very promising results and I would like to thank Nottinghamshire Police for their ongoing work to help reduce this antisocial behaviour and for giving residents living nearby peace of mind that we are doing everything we can to stop the car cruisers.

"Alongside this great work, we have also approved a public space protection order in the area, which will be another tool for tackling this issue and will help stop these events from happening in the future.”